Clusters of insignificant, green flowers appear in May and June among small, lustrous green leaves with yellow margins, which often take on a reddish bronze flush in colder winter. This popular, bushy, variegated, evergreen shrub makes excellent groundcover and is a mainstay of low-maintenance gardens, but it also makes a good foil for more ornamental, golden-leaved shrubs. It is tough and will thrive in any well-drained border in sun or partial shade.

Garden care: Tip prune young plants in mid to late spring to encourage bushy growth and apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant. Remove any plain green-leaved shoots as soon as they appear, cutting them back to the original branch.